Music Lessons
by FidgeyTova
Summary: Hotsuma needs to learn piano and it's up to Shusei to teach him.


**As promised, here is my oneshot! Enjoy**

 **I don't own Uraboku**

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Music Lessons

Sighing, Shusei gathers his thoughts and collects the last bit of patience he has and turns to his partner who is looking more and more frustrated with every passing second, "Do we need to cover the basics again, Hostuma?"

Hotsuma grunts a response as he looks to his left glaring at Shusei who is sitting on the same piano bench his is, "It's too hard. Why does the piano have to be so complicated?"

Hotsuma was required to take an art class. Anything artistic is completely out of Hotsuma realm of comfort. He considered a drawing class but reconsidered when he remembered he could have Shusei tutor him in piano.

"Very well," Shusei ignored the remark, "Again, this is middle C." He played the corresponding note, "Keep your thumb on this key. And sit back a little more, you don't need to hover over the keyboard. Keep your arms parallel to the ground and please don't bang on the keys. You're trying to play the piano, not murder it."

Hotsuma tried fixing his posture.

"Better." Shusei said, "Now Keep a slow and steady beat with your left hand." Shusei shows him by playing two slow whole notes with his left hand, "Now with your right hand play these notes here." He points to the sheet music.

"And those notes are?"

"Where you paying attention when we reviewed how to read sheet music?"

"Yeah! I just forgot! This is a lot to take in!" Hotsuma defends.

Hotsuma isn't to sure what possessed him to try a music course. There were plenty of other easier art classes to try. But then he remembers those nights in his childhood where Shusei would calmly play piano under the moonlight and he stood by in awe of his grace. He thought it must be amazing to be able to play like that and would love to be able to experience that firsthand. Although, now that he is here, he never expected there to be so much involved in playing music.

"Those notes ar D." They were practicing a simplified version of Beethoven's Ode to Joy. He played the whole notes in combination with these quarter notes to show Hotsuma what the resulting sound should be.

"You make it looks so easy." Hotsuma says.

"Practice does that." Shusei says, "Now try it."

Hotsuma tried mimicking Shusei's playing however his rhythm was not right and he confused some of the notes, "The piano is a stupid instrument! I should have tried guitar or something…"

"All instruments require lots of dedicated practice. Don't get so flustered." Shusei played the part one more time, "Just try it slowly. Concentrate."

Hotsuma attempted it again and it sounded a little better than before, "I could bash my head against the keys and get a better sound." He mumbled.

"If you break my piano…" Shusei warned glaring at Hotsuma.

He crossed his arms over his chest, "Whatever."

Ignoring Hotsuma, Shusei decided to let his fingers glide over the keys playing simple little etudes and gradually easing into more difficult pieces. He could feel Hostuma glaring at him clearly annoyed that he couldn't play anything like that.

"Enough showing off!" I get it!"

Shusei hadn't played piano much recently. Between school and the police station and of course the war with the duras, there wasn't much time for recreational activities. But Hotsuma's plea for help playing piano rekindled his love for the instrument.

Still allowing his fingers to play as they please he became absorbed in the sounds they produced, creating their own little melodies. Shusei was making a mental note of the patterns and rhythm hoping to turn them into songs later when he didn't have a hot tempered youth next to him.

The beautiful sounds came to a halt when his music was interrupted by a menagerie of sounds that were being produced by the blond next to him. Shusei glanced over and saw his partner randomly attacking the keys. He had a bored or impatient look on his face but continued banging on the keys.

Gentle was one word that could absolutely never describe Hostuma so seeing him rampage the keys sent a shiver down Shusei's spine. In one swift motion Shusei slid on the piano bench to his right knocking Hotsuma off the bench and onto the floor.

"What did you do that for?!" He screamed

"I told you to take it easy on my piano." Shusei brushed his hand over the keys Hotsuma had played as if he were wiping them clean.

"I wasn't doing anything!"

"Get back up here and let's try this again."

After a few more botched tries, Shusei decides to try another tactic, one that may end up with his piano in flames.

"Well, it's no surprise really." Shusei sighs, glancing to the blond.

"What are getting at…" Hotsuma knows somethings up.

"Well, music is an intricate art. One that involve multiple intelligences."

Hotsuma frowns.

"Mathematics, artistic ability, languages, spatial temporal skills, memorization, cognitive thinking-"

"Alright!" Hotsuma cuts him off.

"All these things that you lack to some degree, so naturally, you wouldn't be able to play piano." Shusei says nonchalantly, knowing that will set Hotsuma off even more.

"Are you saying I'm dumb?"

"Well I didn't say _that…_ "

"You may as well have!"

"That would just be rude."

"Maybe your teaching skills are what's lacking!"

"I doubt that."

"…"

"…"

"So…" Hotsuma starts, "This is middle C?"

Shusei sighs as he readies himself for a long tutoring session.


End file.
